Dancing Partners for Life
by Cyclone Harmony
Summary: Ralph confronts Walter about him not taking his mom dancing and Walter rushes to explain himself. Will this explanation help change their family dynamic for the better or the worst?


**I know that this will be the second story based on the same theme from season 3 epsiode 7 but this is a true ONE-SHOT. I will still be updating _Partners Forever_ but since that one became a multi-chapter story, it is taking a little more time. Thank you to everyone for the reviews and the encouragement. I really appreciate them. I hope y'all enjoy this story. **

_"We could have been partners forever."_

"Ralph, wait!" I put my hand on his shoulder, turn him around, and get face to face with him. "Ralph. I'm sorry that I'm such a coward."

" Forgot my purs-" Paige walks in but no one notices.

"You're right. I should have taken your mom dancing when I had the chance. For the past year before Tim, she was giving me nothing but opportunities and hints to change the status between us. Yet I pushed her away every time."

"Why did you do that Walter?"

He heaved a sigh. "Ralph, I need you to understand something. Your mom needs more than what I'm capable of giving her. She needs someone who will be able to tell her that they love her whenever she needs to hear it. She needs someone who knows how wonderful and amazing she is and will be able to show her that everyday. She needs someone who constantly appreciates her. Who she doesn't have to practically force feed emotional knowledge into and what to say in certain situations. Someone who knows instinctively when she is upset or happy and what the correct response should be in those times."

The door opens again, but again nobody notices.

"Ralph, I love your mom and I wish for nothing more than to tell her to her face. For all three of us to be together, for us to..to be a family. Yet your mother is happy with Tim and with the kind of work we do your mother deserves happiness. No matter the source. One of the many attributes of love is that it is not proud and it does not envy. While I do wish that I was the cause for her happiness, I can't be upset or mad at Tim. He is a good man with a very good heart and he will take care and provide for her much more than I could. Whatever the circumstances though, you, Ralph, are my number one priority. I have loved you from the first day we met, before I even knew what the word meant. So, no matter what happens and no matter where you go, you'll always be my boy and we'll always be partners forever."

Ralph jumped into Walter's arms and hugged him fiercely. "I love you too, Walter!"

They hugged for a moment before Walter cleared his throat.

"Now, come on, your mom is waiting and you've got some parents to meet and a big party to have fun at. Listen to whatever your mom tells you. Don't give her trouble."

Walter stood up and the two of them faced the doorway. Walter stiffened when he saw both Paige and Tim. Paige was in shock, her mouth was gaping and there were unshed tears in her eyes. Tim looked resigned to the situation and just shaking his head.

"Do you really mean that, Walter? Do you love me?" "I never stood a chance, did I?"

"Tim, I'm sorr-" He held up a hand to stop her. "No, don't apologize. I really should not have continued with the relationship when I knew you didn't want to be with me. Ever since I joined the team I felt the attraction between the two of you but I chose to ignore it since you both weren't together. I think I always knew that we would eventually break up but again I chose to ignore the feeling. I especially should have stopped when Walter stated the real reason he came to Tahoe. So here's what we're going to do. You are still looking very beautiful tonight, so as friends, we will go to the dance and enjoy ourselves. Then I will drop you and Ralph back here so that you and Walter can talk. Sound good?"

"That sounds wonderful Tim, but I think Walter and I should talk now. I really am sorry that things didn't work out between us. You are very sweet and kind and you will make some woman very happy someday."

Walter was just standing as still as a statue just looking between the two of them. _"Oh no, I've ruined their evening. I again interfered in their personal life and now I've ruined their happiness. Paige is going to be really mad just like she was after Tahoe."_ He started breathing heavily and he could start to feel a tightness in his chest.

"OK. that sounds good." Paige gave him a kiss on the cheek and Tim left the garage to go meet his parents for the ball.

"Cabe and Toby, would you both and Happy be willing to watch Ralph for the rest of the evening?"

"Definitely. It is absolutely no problem. Come on, Ralphie boy. Let's go get some Kovelsky's and then we can see if you can learn the noble art of bluffing your way around a poker table."

While all this was going on, no one noticed Walter disappearing into the loft. He sat on the couch and buried his head in his hands. _"You are a moron Walter O'Brian! You have once again shown that you constantly ruin people's lives. Paige is going to come up here and tell you that you have no place in her life anymore. Any goodwill that you gained since Tahoe has just been obliterated. They broke up because of you."_

Soft footsteps sounded in the loft. "Walter. We need to talk." She sat on the couch and he could smell her lavender lotion as it assaulted his senses. She reached over and pulled his hands from his face. A dam broke inside and he started rambling.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Paige. I promised I wouldn't interfere. I promised myself that I wouldn't disrupt your happiness. Please don't be mad. Please forgive me. Please don't take Ralph from me. I'll be better. You don't have to break up with him. You deserve to be happy. You lo-lo-love him."

"WALTER!" He stopped abruptly at her shout. He looked at her and he could still see tears in her eyes. She softened her tone. "Walter, stop talking. You have done enough of that. It is time for you to listen." He glanced at their conjoined hands and stared as she cupped his cheek. "Walter. There is nothing to forgive. You did not ruin my happiness. I am happy right here with you. Walter, what was the real reason you came to Tahoe? And don't say it was for the jazz."

He thought about lying and coming up with an excuse but one look at her face and he couldn't do it.

"I came to Tahoe to tell you I love you, but when I got there you were kissing Tim and I knew I was too late. I started walking back when Cabe called, then we had the awkward plane ride, then the case got in the way. I tried to tell you again when we were at the server hub but the missile started bearing down on us. After that you found out about how I changed the reservations and called the health department and you became really upset. You said that I always disrupt people's happiness because I'm a jealous infant. When I thought we were still in the dead zone on the comms, I said the reason that I came but you had taken your comm out and right at that moment the comms came back and then the entire team heard me confess."

He stopped and tried to pull my hand away but Paige had a death grip on it. Paige raised his chin and looked into his eyes.

"Walter. I'm sorry for what I said that day. I didn't mean it. I was upset and frustrated with you so I didn't want to listen to what you had to say. We never did discuss it after and that is my fault. But the past is the past so let's discuss the future now. I am happy being here with you. I love spending time with you. I love you too, Walter. I've been in love with you since we kissed after the weather balloon. All last year I felt that were slowly working toward becoming more than "professional colleagues," but then you started speed dating and you started going out with Linda and I felt betrayed. Whenever I thought that you would be ready to date, I always thought that we would start dating each other. I thought you moved on so I accepted the dates from Tim."

She took a breath. "When you and Linda broke up, I felt a little relieved. I was hoping that you would ask me out and you almost did. After Chernobyl and you came up to me, I knew you were there to ask me out and I was just waiting for you to finish the question, but then you said to go with Tim."

He looked down again. "I would have said yes to you, Walter" He snapped back to her.

"I would have said yes. I was always going to say yes but you didn't give me a chance. After we rescued Toby from Collins, I tried to give you one more chance to stop me but again you pushed me away. I'm not saying this to make you feel guilty, Walter. At any point in time before this I could have told you my feelings and maybe things would have been different but the point is that I still love you. I want to be with you. I want there to be an us. I love you just the way you are. You say you are emotional deficient but I know that that is not true. I don't need you to tell me that you love me everyday or compliment me on every little thing. I just want you. Your actions speak louder than your words. Looking back, I've realized that every time I was in danger, you were there to protect me or to take my place. You would gladly trade your life for mine or Ralph's but you must also realize that I will do the exact same for you. We are partners and I've always got your back as you do mine."

"I've also noticed the little things like the lavender diffuser in your loft. You've never had it before I came to the team." He looked stunned. How could she know that? "I know that because I saw how the others looked when I asked you about it. I also hear Toby's grumblings about the cinnamon in the coffee and how it is in the whole pot. I know you do that because you know that I like my coffee like that.

The most important thing though is whenever I just watch you and Ralph interact. No matter what you may be working on you have always made time for him. Whenever he has a problem and it's one that I can't solve or he thinks that he can't tell me about it, he has always chosen to go to you. Ralph is the most important person in my life and no one has been more of a father to him than you have. By every single definition of the word, other than the obvious fact that you don't share blood, you are his father and he is your son. You never have to fear that you will lose him. Whether you and I are together or not, you will still have a relationship with Ralph. You are the most amazing man that I've ever met. While I do get annoyed and frustrated sometimes with you, I love you in spite of that and will continue to do so. So the question is Walter, do you love me enough to take the risk of a relationship with me or will you let me walk out that door again?"

There was the question that would change his life. Paige sat there with an expectant look on her face. Walter knew that if he pushed her away now it would do irreparable damage to their relationship. So he chose the only answer he could and would accept.

"I love you with my entire being. Whenever you are around me I feel at peace. You are on my mind constantly, whenever I'm not occupied with a project. When you leave to go home at night, I always wonder what you and Ralph are doing. Are you safe? I want to be there with you for every moment. I want to protect the both of you. I want a future with you. You once said that you regretted not being able to give Ralph a sibling. I want that for him as well. Every time I pictured a future for us, I pictured multiple kids for us, and Ralph being an exceptional role model for them. I'm bound to mess up and hurt you at some point but I never want you to doubt the depth of my love for you. So my answer is yes. I love you Paige Dineen and I never want to live without you again!"

Both of them moved at the same time and conjoined in their most passionate kiss that either of them has ever had. Paige straddled his lap as Walter put his hands on her hips and pulled her as close as physically possible. Paige tangled her hands in his hair and gently scratched his scalp. The kiss became more fervent but still tender as they went on. When they finally broke for air, they were both panting. Paige rested her forehead against his and smiled at him. Walter had the biggest goofy grin on his face.

He suddenly had a bright idea. "You know, I told Ralph earlier that I was a coward for not taking you dancing, so I don't want to be a coward anymore." He stood up taking Paige with him and gently set her on her feet in front of him. "You do look very beautiful tonight and i was a fool for letting you go, so Paige Dineen," he bowed a bit at the waist and extended his hand as she blushed, "can I have this dance?"

She smiled widely as she dropped into a deep curtsy. "I would love to." They danced for hours with no music. Paige rested her head on his chest and Walter had his chin on her head. They shared chaste kisses throughout the night and talked about their future and they promised to work on the relationship together. Neither one ever wanted to lose what they had together. As they finally drifted off to the bedroom, they vowed to be partners forever.


End file.
